<p>I don’t use boxed rice, and I typically make rice 4 times a week. It’s really not complicated: 1 part rice to two parts water, in a heavy lidded pot that’s taller than it is wide. Works for long grain, short grain, jasmine, Thai red, whatever. Brown rice takes a lot longer, but it still works. Different procedures altogether for Persian rice and wild rice, and slightly different for Brazilian or some types of Indian rices, but still not hard.</p>
<p>A previous CC thread…</p>
<p><a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/parent-cafe/1232569-rice-cooker-recipes.html?highlight=rice+cooker+recipes[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/parent-cafe/1232569-rice-cooker-recipes.html?highlight=rice+cooker+recipes</a></p>
<p>Love our rice cooker…S getting one for his apartment at school this year…
A friend makes many things in her rice cooker, notably, scrambled eggs and also oatmeal…</p>
<p>Agree that the main reason I love----it’s rice cooking for dummies. Put in water, rice, hit the button and it turns off when done. What’s not to like?</p>
<p>I don’t use boxed rice and my cooker died but I haven’t found one to replace it yet.
I really likes it because not only did it free up a burner and make great rice, but I could steam vegetables at the same time.</p>
<p>My D lives in a house with a big kitchen, they even have two full size refrigerators.
But many don’t have much counter space- like mine!</p>
<p>Brillo pads.</p>
<p>This is a bit of an alternative take. The more you buy, the more you have to lug around, give away or trash You can get foil baking pans at the market (for baking meats or a casserole, cakes) and hard paper microwave containers. If it turns out you cook a lot or entertain, you can supplement later. One large knife for slicing and a small one for paring. A bottle opener, can opener and corkscrew, unless your Swiss Army knife already includes those! You can skip measuring cups- Rubbermaid makes 1/2 cup and 1 cup sizes, sells them in packs, so you can measure with them, microwave in them or store leftovers. Most tablespoons and teaspoons are reliably sized so you don’t need to buy measuring spoons. Any old cheap colander for draining pasta or washing salads or fruits/veggies. Wax paper or plastic wrap can cover things in the mwave and a roll of alum foil can do the same in the oven. One half-size baking sheet. One good enough (not great) pan for frying and something to boil water in. I agree with plastic storage bags- but personally love those large ones you can knot- gallon size? I freeze in them, put salad in them, rolls, etc. You can roll with a wine bottle, rather than buy a rolling pin for a college apt- someone taught me that for making tortillas, when we were living in temporary digs. I actually have a rolling pin but just as often use the Pernod bottle- don’t like the stuff, but the shape is perfect. And, if you aren’t sure how sanitary and bug free your place is: those larger plastic screw-top storage jars for cereals, the flour and sugar, rice, pasta, etc.
Don’t forget Bisquick- the staple of every starter kitchen.</p>
<p>This is the rice cooker i’m considering getting:</p>
<p>[Zojirushi</a> Micom 3-Cup Capacity Rice Cooker - Black - Bed Bath & Beyond](<a href=“http://www.bedbathandbeyond.com/product.asp?SKU=18698676]Zojirushi”>http://www.bedbathandbeyond.com/product.asp?SKU=18698676)</p>
<p>I’m gluten free so rice is one of my favorite starch staples. I wouldn’t feel bad at all about splerging on something like this. That and if you wanna make rice, it doesn’t heat the kitchen up like stove top does.</p>
<p>I have been making rice in a 2 quart glass microwave bowl with a lid for over 10 years. Take one cup of rice, add in 2 cups of water or chicken broth, microwave at full power for 5 minutes, punch in 50% power for an additional 15 minutes. Then you can serve it from the one bowl and put same bowl with any leftover rice in the refrigerator to reheat the next night with a couple of tablespoons of water. I really love this method and can’t imagine why a college student would not use it. If you don’t have a lid for the bowl, a ceramic microwavable dinner plate will work. If you want your rice a little different, try 4 minutes or 40% power or microwave the water to boiling point before adding the rice.</p>
<p>We eat a great deal of rice and six months ago my DH prevailed and shifted us entirely to brown rice. It was a really big transition for me, threw off my timing of meals and presented a challenge in coming up with brown rice dishes that are what I consider to be appealing. </p>
<p>I like the brown short grain basmati rice from Costco. I start a big skillet with some olive oil and a tiny dab of butter (don’t tell DH), throw in chopped garlic and onion, then the dry rice and cook gently for about 3 or four minutes just to soften slightly and coat the rice with the fats and the seasonings. Then I add about a cup of broth (unhealthy, no doubt, but I swear by Lipton’s beef consomme) and another three cups or so of filtered room temperature water. Bring to boil, cover. Check every now and then, add more broth/water to get the rice truly tender. Honestly, takes brown rice around 65 to 70 minutes for me. </p>
<p>Depending on what’s on hand, I’ll throw in chopped fresh tomato and cilantro, or a handful of frozen peas and a can of organic chopped drained tomatoes near the end. Also, occasionally, a handful of grated parmesan is nice, but my DH is sort of a diet Nazi and will grumble.</p>
<p>Will never be a true fan of brown rice. Love nothing more than truly fluffy, light white rice. But I guess we’re healthier this way and it’s fairly tasty.</p>
<p>My sense is that rice cookers aren’t too swift for brown rice. Would be curious if anyone has used one successfully.</p>
<p>I’ve read that they can handle brown rice just fine and have a special setting for it.</p>
<p>My rice cooker does brown rice just fine. I also love to throw salsa and spices in to spice up my rice. </p>
<p>I couldn’t live without 1 good knife, cast iron skillet, large and small pot and one covered baking dish. In truth, I can’t live without my crock pot, though my family would love if it was broken.</p>
<p>sewhappy, I have had good luck with Nishiki brand Quick Cooking Whole Grain Brown Rice which I buy at a sort of Asian Supermarket called H-Mart. I cook it in the Microwave (with above listed method) and it seems lighter than most brown rice but not quite like white rice. It reminds me of PF Chang’s plain brown rice.</p>
<p>Good tips on brown rice cooking, thanks. Duly noted.</p>
<p>In terms of kitchen must-haves . . . I use my little pyrex 2-cup measuring container with the spout and handle practically every single day. My mom had one, too.</p>
<p>We use only brown rice, and some varieties of white like Basmati. For brown rice, you just add a little bit more water to the rice cooker than for the same amount of white rice. It comes out perfectly every time. We don’t buy plain white rice at all anymore.</p>
<p>Icedragon…I’ve used cheapo rice cookers and more expensive ones. I do NOT see a difference in the way they cook rice. I’d go with the cheapy ones. My cheapy one (a Hitachi that I don’t think is even made anymore) is almost 30 years old…and gets a TON of use.</p>
<p>thumper–unfortunately, a lot of appliances today aren’t made to last no matter how much you pay.</p>
<p>A colander and a grater are two things I wouldn’t want to do without. As far as food storage goes, you could just wash and reuse the containers you buy food in.</p>
<p>I find all kinds of rice easy to make in a regular pot on the cooktop, but everyone’s needs are different. My sister tells me that <em>everyone</em> in Japan has a rice cooker.</p>
<p>This brown rice from Cook’s illustrated is very easy. It’s baked. I put in butter, but don’t tell my DH.
Oven Method Rice
(Cook’s Illustrated, Feb. 2006)</p>
<p>Best for situations requiring prolonged even heating, such as cooking brown rice or for larger quantities of white rice.</p>
<p>NOTE: from the chart, the proportion of water to rice is 1-1/2 cups water to 1 cup rice. I used two cups brown basmati to three cups water in a 9" square baking pan. I’d probably use an 8" for a single cup.</p>
<ol>
<li><p>Heat oven to 375 with rack in the middle. Bring liquid to a boil, covered, in a saucepan over high heat.</p></li>
<li><p>Combine grains, boiling liquid and salt (1/2 tsp. per cup of raw grains) in a baking dish and cover tightly with a double layer of foil. Bake until grains are tender – one hour for brown rice. Let stand five minutes, uncover, fluff with fork, and serve.</p></li>
</ol>
<p>I’ve been cooking rice in the oven (basmati, mainly) for a while now. So easy and fool-proof.</p>